Mosquito-Free Make Mosquitoes Flee With Mosquito-FreeBy Patti RichterChad Woodall and Jody Wheeler are local business partners, but to say they are local is an understatement since both were raised in Canton and graduated from Cherokee High School. As lifelong residents of the Sixes community, the two are happy to operate their company in the area they call home. Rooted and Reliable Woodall and Wheeler are co-owners of Mosquito-Free, the leading non-franchise mosquito control service in Cherokee County. After launching their business in 2016, they’ve experienced rapid, year-over-year growth throughout Canton, Woodstock, and the surrounding areas. Satisfied customers are the likely reason their business earned a title this year. Mosquito-Free recently received Family Life’s “Best of Life 2021” award for Pest Control/Mosquito Control.Wheeler credits hometown roots as a reliability factor in serving customers. In fact, all Mosquito-Free employees live in Cherokee County.“They can reach us directly without dialing into a call center and speaking with someone in another city or state,” Wheeler says. “We’ll pick up the phone 99.9% of the time, and we offer a 100% guaranteed rapid response to any issue they may be having.” Mosquito-Free also gives back to the local community. Each summer, the company offers complimentary mosquito applications for area churches prior to the start of Vacation Bible School. They’re hoping for fewer VBS cancellations this year. A Long Season Mosquito control is a seasonal business, but it’s a long season for mosquitoes in this part of the country. Woodall says the company offers treatment “from time change to time change — from March to October.” He adds that this region of Georgia has long retained an undesirable title: “The Atlanta area ranks #1 in the Top 50 Mosquito Cities — for the 7th consecutive year.”Even though Mosquito-Free services are seasonal, Woodall says their business remains busy year-round.“There’s always code-compliance work, advertising, taxes, and training,” Woodall says. “All of our employees are licensed in mosquito control and receive ongoing training through the State of Georgia Department of Agriculture.”The company has a large following of friends via their Facebook page, MosquitoFreeLLC, where Woodall and Wheeler post helpful tips, humorous messages, and videos related to outdoor enjoyment. Here are just a few:• While taxes may be behind us, mosquitoes have arrived.• If you have an outdoor firepit, drill small holes in the bottom to allow water to drain.• Remove leaves and other debris from your gutters because they are hotbeds for mosquito breeding.• Always empty your kiddie pools. After all, a bottlecap of water can hatch up to 200 mosquitoes. Make the Backyard Great AgainLong-term travel restrictions due to the pandemic have turned people’s attention and dollars toward making their homes and outdoor spaces more enjoyable. However, Wheeler says, “While homeowners spend more on their backyards these days (pools, grills, firepits, furniture, trampolines, sport courts, and more), they can’t always enjoy them because of mosquitoes.” Luckily for outdoor enthusiasts, Mosquito-Free can create a barrier, a “Mosquito-Free Zone,” by applying a synthetic solution to foliage. Though this solution adheres to plants for three weeks, it has no phytotoxicity that would harm plants or growth. Even so, the company further offers an all-natural solution on a two-week application schedule for customers who prefer it. Backyard and outdoor settings, as in 2020, will most likely remain popular for weddings and social events. Mosquito-Free Zones are a great solution to any worry about mosquitoes when planning outside gatherings such as birthday parties, reunions, or holiday barbecues.If barrier sprays are not a good fit for your landscape, Mosquito-Free is a trained and certified installer of the In2Care® system. In2Care mosquito stations deploy a U.S. EPA-approved fungus that kills mosquitoes several days after infection, effectively preventing disease transmission. The mosquito-borne Zika virus has become a growing concern in recent years, as the Aedes mosquito has spread north of the tropics, including to the U.S. “The In2Care system is just another arrow we’ve added to our quiver of solutions in the battle against Aedes mosquitoes, and this system has absolutely zero impact on the surrounding environment,” says Woodall.Mosquitoes or UsWheeler admits that mosquitoes serve a purpose on earth. He loves to fish and says, “Mosquitoes are a food source for fish and frogs.” But, he adds, “Mosquitoes carry diseases, such as the West Nile virus and others that have no preventative vaccines.” Family pets are also at risk since mosquitoes can carry the heartworm parasite. Even though dogs can be protected with preventative heartworm medication, Mosquito-Free’s barrier solution provides peace of mind.Mosquito season is upon us. To make summertime memories that won’t include mosquitoes, give Mosquito-Free a call. Mosquito-Free 2171 Holly Brook Lane, Canton, GA 30114770-704-4560Mosquito-Free.comMosquito-Free serves Canton, Woodstock, Acworth, Kennesaw, Jasper, and surrounding areas.Safe for People and PetsAll Natural and Biodegradable OfferingsLocally Owned and Operated21-Day Service With Complimentary Re-Treats100% Satisfaction Guaranteed Call 770-704-4560 or visit Mosquito-Free.com and mention code “CANTON FAMILY LIFE” to receive $100 OFF Seasonal Service* *New customers only. Offer expires 6/30/21.